Welcome to the Cisco Sizzle! Each month, we’re rounding up the best of the best from across our social media channels for your reading pleasure. From the most read blog posts to the top engaging content on Facebook or LinkedIn, catch up on things you might have missed, or on the articles you just want to see again, all in one place.

Let’s take a look back at the top content from February…

The Internet of Everything EconomyCisco CEO John Chambers discusses the possibilities of the Internet of Everything Economy and the $14.4 trillion market opportunity for companies and industries worldwide over the next 10 years.

Cisco StadiumVision MobileWho watched the Super Bowl last month? Learn how Cisco is transforming the fan experience with Cisco StadiumVision Mobile, a groundbreaking solution that delivers live video to fans’ mobile devices to create an entirely new experience in sports and entertainment venues.

Super Wi-Fi
What connections could a Public Super Wi-Fi bring to the Internet of Everything?

Collaboration: Cisco’s ApproachWhat really matters in collaboration? In the first of a series of blog posts, Cisco’s Rowan Trollope starts a frank conversation about what’s top of mind for IT, how Cisco is addressing these needs and how Microsoft’s approach is not hitting the mark.

Stay tuned for next month’s edition of the Cisco Sizzle for even more great content!

Recent research highlights how vital this capability is for leagues, teams and venues to “compete with the couch” – an astounding 57% of fans prefer to watch at home versus live in person. Watching at home is less expensive (68% of fans said this was a factor), delivers great flexibility (34% said it allows them to multitask), and allows for crystal-clear HD video (22% said it was good enough or even better than live). Arguably the couch is winning over the live experience, and that is why our customers around the world have told Cisco that the next big technology hurdle they wanted solved was “video everywhere” in their venues.

All of these statistics were derived from a recent global fan survey that Cisco’s Sports & Entertainment Solutions Group conducted along with Cisco’s Internet Business Solutions Group (IBSG) to identify how fans currently consume sports, what they value and why they pay to attend live events when the home experience is so good.

The 2012 London Olympic Games provided one of the most connected global experiences ever. Myriad streams of content were available on TV and online, not to mention on multiple devices, including smartphones and tablets. I am in awe of the incredible performances by athletes, how smoothly everything went for operators, and of course how dynamic all the venues were for sport. Read More »

“What they are doing for our fans – on a daily basis, at every one of our games, be it during the day or at night – is truly remarkable. We are able to create a better experience for our fans using this technology. Our only wish is that we had done this a little bit earlier.”Todd Goldstein, President, AEG Global Partnerships

Cisco recently upgraded the digital capabilities at STAPLES Center, one of the premier sports and entertainment venues in the world that hosts four major sports franchises (LA Lakers, LA Clippers, LA Kings, and LA Sparks) and more than 250 events a year (Grammy’s, concerts, etc.), so the venue could better service its fans.

The result? Over the past year AEG (the operator of the facility) has been able to deliver a more engaged fan experience and is seeing a strong return on its investment from the digital and dynamic menu boards at concession stands. For example, AEG saw a 9 percent increase in revenue (year over year) from concessions for Los Angeles Kings games. Even more impressive was the 400 percent increase in revenue (year over year) from select promotions offered this past season (2011).

Cisco delivered a Connected Stadium environment, including Cisco StadiumVision, an innovative digital video and content delivery system that transformed STAPLES Center and provides fans with a more memorable experience. All of this was done over the course of just a few months and AEG never missed a beat in hosting world class events at the venue.

Today more than 30 marquee properties are operating new business and revenue models with Cisco digital sports technologies at the center. From Real Madrid to the Pittsburgh Penguins to Sporting KC to Eden Park, Cisco is transforming the sports and entertainment environment around the world.

I witnessed the transformation earlier this year at the Grammy’s…and I just might have sat next to a couple of celebrities – well, that was where my friends told me I was going to sit!

Just over one week ago, more people watched Super Bowl XLVI on television than any other time in history – 111.3 million people, a staggering number. In addition, more than 2.1 million unique visitors saw the game streamed live online, another first. The experience for fans at home is incredibly powerful with HD, live streaming, and fast access to the Internet.

However, while so many of us were tuned in at home, another first was taking place inside Lucas Oil Stadium – all fans, regardless of their service provider, were able to use their smartphones and devices to connect to a free Wi-Fi network. This provided them with a significantly faster option to surf the web, use apps and share photos and video “live” with friends and family versus doing so post-game.

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